Monday Camera #14: Kodak Folders

I'm happy to present one of the most important photographic cameras: folding Pocket Kodak

It was born in 1897 at the Eastman Kodak Co. works in Rochester. Frank Brownell was the designer. It took 2 1/4×3 1/4 exposures on Kodak 105 film rolls and had an Achromatic f/11 lens. The price was $10.

Later this model had been renamed to Folding Pocket Kodak No. 1 to distinguish it from the newer Folding Pocket Kodak No. 1A.

It was compact - really fir in a pocket when folded. It was simple and reliable.

Artfully advertised:

Mobile:

Fitted with data back (Authographic series, from 1914):

Colorful:

Yes, very colorful:

Green:

Deco:

Yes, Deco (again):

Sophisticated:

Even Brownie, Folder's in-house rival, had its folding version:

Unfortunately, the last and most advanced Kodak Folder - Super Six-20 with a built-in exposure meter, designed by Joe Mihalyi (of Ektra fame) and introduced in 1938, was not simple. Neither it was reliable. Besides, it wasn't affordable, sold for $225 (more than $3000 today). At least, it was interesting: